Wednesday, May 18, 2005

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is demanding an explanation from U.S. and Iraqi military forces regarding the whereabouts of least eight Iraqi journalists who have been detained since March 2005.

All eight of the journalists work for Western news organisations and though none of the journalists have been formally charged. Two of the missing employees are believed to be employees of Agence France-Presse (AFP). Another is a freelance cameraman working with the U.S. broadcaster CBS News.

'We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary nature of these detentions and are concerned that these journalists are in detention merely for doing their work,' CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. 'U.S. and Iraqi officials must credibly explain the basis for these detentions at once.'"